subject: The Importance Of Drum Tuning [print this page] Everyone knows that musical instruments need to be tuned periodically to remain true to pitch. For some instruments, a violin for example, it has to be done before very use and sometimes even during use when the pegs slip resulting in the instrument falling out of tune. Though not subject to the same precision as far as notes on a scale, a snare drum also slips out of tune and it is just as important an issue in order to keep the sound crisp and clear.
The same factors that can cause a violin to go out of tune can cause a snare drum to go out of tune. Temperature variations of hot to cold and back, can cause the skin to constrict and loosen in response. Humidity also plays a role. With drums often used and stored in garages and other environments that are not temperature controlled, the temperature and humidity variations stresses will result in the need for frequent tuning.
Playing the drum can cause it to go out of tune. The battering of the skin can cause it to shift, resulting in a loss of tension. Like the pegs on a violin, the tension rods on the snare drum can slip, also resulting in tension loss of the skin. When the skin is loosened, the drum's sound will be deeper and less resonant. It will sound flat, thuddy, and dull. Tuning the drum will bring back its brightness for that sharp back-beat the snare drum is known for.
A well-tuned snare drum is also a matter of factoring in the venue where the drums will be played. Drums sound different at different distances due to sound wave and reflection. What sounds good in a small room can be a sound that doesn't work in a large venue. Likewise, what sounds good to the drummer may not sound good to the audience. In large venues, a higher pitch will carry better, so a little tightening may be called for. The placement of the microphone also plays a role in a sound that can be very different once it reaches the audience. One tuning doesn't work for every venue or application.
The drummer's ability to tune a drum to address every factor so that the sound reaching the intended audience is the sound that is desired is as important to the final product as the skill in actually playing the drums. It is well worth taking the time to understand and master the concepts to ensure that the drum gets the sound that you want your audience to hear.
